The Prince of Dreams
by Jaffee Leeds
Summary: Toby Williams is grown up and unaware of the truth nature of his sister's daughter. What happens when the two confront each other and Toby remembers everything? Sequel to Power Over Me
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own nothing

_**Revelation**_

**By**

**Jaffee Leeds**

Toby Williams didn't like to think he was a difficult person to get along with. In fact, He thought he was remarkably easy to get along with. He had good, solid relationships with his parents, sister, niece and friends. At a party he tended to draw a crowd and while some people said he was a glory hog, Toby skewed this idea by genuinely caring for people. He was the guy you called when you had a flat on the route "the middle of nowhere" 66 and he would come roaring down the road with a spare and take-out in a bag. He was the guy who bought the right gift every time whether it was Christmas or a birthday. Toby Williams was a very good guy, some might even say, perfect.

And yet not perfect, Toby thought ruefully as he turn down Wilhelmina St. where Sarah had made her home. Toby liked the street; it was wide and double lined with plenty of room to plant trees and place sidewalks. The trees were the old and squatty kind that brooded lovingly over the street like grandparents over grandchildren and smelled of generations of time. The houses were older, but not out of date. Whoever had constructed the area had followed classic and simple architectural lines; the kind of elegance that lasts. The value of the houses was not in the structures themselves; it was in the familiar feeling of home, the warm glow that stole over you when you slipped under the cool shade of the trees, the kind of quiet that comes in small does and that you remember forever.

Not perfect, he repeated mentally, because this year he'd forgotten Emily's birthday. It was always a little strange going to his niece's parties. The fact that only seven years separated them in age always made things little strange; especially when her girlfriends would make a pass at "Emily's hot uncle Toby." But then again, it wasn't as if he was in a serious relationship. Toby had had his share of girlfriends, older, younger and somewhere in between but they hadn't lasted very long. Sarah told him he was commitment challenged, Toby was beginning to agree.

Flipping his cell phone open, Toby speed dialed Sarah. He didn't usually announce his arrival but something was prompting him too.

_**JarethSarahEmilyJarethSarahEmilyJarethSarahEmilyJareth**_

"Do you have everything?" Sarah leaned into her daughter's room. Emily was slowly going around the room, picking things up and piling them on the bed.

"Almost, I think there are some clothes I'll want from the laundry room," Emily smiled, her eyes sparkling. The curious brown and blue lights in her eyes danced slightly, "And I'll get them myself. I don't want to change anything unless I absolutely have too."

Sarah moved aside and watched her daughter disappear down the hall to the laundry room. Emily insisted on being as human as possible, doing any task the way it would have had to be done if nothing about her had changed. Sarah knew she did it for her sake, and even that care sent a stab of annoyance through Sarah's heart. She knew she was mortal, fragile and frail beside Jareth and Emily, but she didn't like being treated like a geriatric at 55.

"I'm not you know," Emily's voice came from the end of the hall. She stood framed in the laundry room door, a blanket folded over her arms, "I'm not treating you like an old fogy."

Sarah pushed away from the wall and put her hands on her hips, "Look, Emily, I know you didn't mean to read my mind but you are still my daughter and I expect a little more privacy. You stay in your head and I'll stay in mine."

She smiled, a flash of her father coming through, and shook her head, "It doesn't work that way, Mom. I wasn't _trying_ to do anything."

"Right, un huh," Sarah's attention was caught by the ring of the phone, "I'll get it."

Emily returned to her laundry as Sarah made her way into the kitchen and snatched up the phone from its cradle.

"Hello, this is Sarah," she said.

"This is Fred's fish market," the masculine voice on the other end announced, "Would you like to buy fish today?"

"Hey, Toby," Sarah greeted. She reached into the cabinet and pulled out two glasses. Taking ice and Diet Coke from the fridge she filled the glasses, "What's up?"

"Nothing much, I thought I'd come over today while Emily's off on break. I missed her birthday and I wanted to make up for it."

Sarah was so surprised she let the soda pop overflow the glass and fizzle its way across the counter top and onto the floor. She swore under her breath and heard Toby calling out about what was wrong.

"Nothing, I just spilled pop all over the place," she said grabbing a towel and sopping up the mess as best she could, "Look, Tob, I don't think Emily's gonna be around today." She lied, "I think she's going out with her friends and they're going to the amusement park for the day and then a movie or something."

"Oh," he said disappointed, "Do you want to do something?"

Sarah wrung out the towel in the sink and caught a reflection of Emily in the kitchen window; she was carrying a basket of clothing toward her room. Her daughter caught sight of her in the window and winked knowingly. Mind reading wasn't a totally benefit-less talent. Sarah sagged back in relief, "Yeah, sure if you want."

"Are you okay?" he said suspicious suddenly, "You don't sound so great."

"Just in a rush," she answered.

"See you in a few minutes," he said.

"Bye," she hit the off button and flung the phone onto the couch, "Emily, Uncle Toby's coming over in a few minutes and …" she entered Emily's room but it was empty. The piling of belongings and clothing was gone and so was Emily, "I thought you'd want to be gone." She finished lamely.

She should have known Emily was a step ahead of her. Switching off the light, Sarah left. She heard Toby's car come into the driveway and went to meet him. He stepped out of the car and towered over his older sister.

"How you doing?" he asked and wrapped her in a bear hug, "You look tired."

"I am a little," she confessed, "But not too bad. How about you?"

"Fine, fine. Nothing much going on in the old bachelor pad life," he admitted.

They walked into the house and through to the kitchen so Sarah could grab her purse. The over filled glass of pop still fizzed happily on the counter while the towel drooped unhappily in the sink. The empty glass glistened back as guilty evidence of another's presence. Sarah casually swept them both up and placed them in the sink before Toby could get a look at them.

"So how long is Emily off?" Toby asked, "Or is she going back to work on summer semester?"

"I think she's taking the whole time off," Sarah said easily, "But I think she's planning on a lot of travel during vacation. She won't be home very much."

"Oh," Toby studied the back of his sister's head and went on, "Well, let her know I came by will you?"

"Afraid of falling from grace in the uncle department?"

"Never," he grinned.

"Mom, I forgot…" Emily suddenly came around the corner of the kitchen door and stopped dead.

Toby stared at Emily, she stared unflinchingly back. Sarah closed her eyes and waited.

Toby didn't say a word, but studied his niece. The young woman standing before him was certainly Emily and yet not Emily is so many ways that…her eyes were bright and startled, one brown, one blue, set in a face that was made up of elegant alien features. Even the way she stood was strange and prepared to act, she was familiar and different. And then he knew, he remembered--everything.

"My God," he gasped, "My _God _you're his daughter. You're his daughter!"


	2. Cover Girl

**Disclaimer: I don't own ****nothing**

_**Cover Girl**_

By

Jaffee Leeds

Sarah, Toby and Emily stood frozen in the kitchen. In the infinitesimal instant after Toby's exclamation Emily had changed her appearance. Gone were the alien features, the foreign expression to be replaced by the familiar curves of cheek and brow that had been Emily's formerly. She blinked two suddenly brown eyes and smiled.

"Uncle Toby!" she said and threw her arms around his neck.

He jerked back as if released from a hold, his arms wrapping around his niece. Confusion reigned on his handsome face and after a moment he gently pushed Emily back and looked at her closely.

"Are you okay?" he said, "I mean—you look great."

"I feel amazing," she said truthfully her smile widening, "What did you say just now?"

"I—" he shook his head, "Never mind, I –you looked—different; that's all."

Emily raised her brows at her mother, "Different in the good way I hope?"

"I'm sure that's what he meant, Emily," Sarah answered. She was controlling herself well. She hadn't seen the change come over her daughter but had had enough presence of mind to follow Emily's lead and not betray the secret. Sarah had felt a chill to her bones when Toby had called out. She felt a blast of cold air as if Toby's connection to the past had caused a reliving of the memory.

"Are you okay?" Emily asked bouncing back and grabbing the backpack that she had left on the floor. Sarah blinked realizing that it hadn't been there a moment before, "You look a little peaky."

"I feel fine—I think," Toby said but he felt anything but. He felt as if he had just forgotten something monumental. But the tantalizing memory hovered just out of his reach. Emily was studying his face intently, her eyes narrowed, a hesitant smile hovering on her lips. It was so familiar and suddenly so strange and terrifying. He put a hand to his head and swayed slightly, "I think I need to sit down."

"Okay," Sarah pulled out a chair and Toby fell into it, "Are you going to be okay?"

"I don't know," he gave a nervous laugh, "I don't even remember why I came by."

"That's okay Uncle Tob," Emily said kneeling in front of his chair, "You don't have to have a reason to visit."

"I know, but I don't like the idea that I don't remember what my reason was," he looked down at his niece and shook his head, "I could have sworn."

"I think maybe you're over doing it at work right now," Sarah interceded, "You're working way too many hours theses days. I mean seriously, how many hours does a gym teacher need to work?"

"It's not just the in class hours, Sarah," Toby said, "It's the practices and games and traveling to other schools for matches and tournaments. You have to invest time in your students if you want them to succeed."

"If that isn't a ringing cliché than I don't know what is," Sarah rolled her eyes, "Do want anything to eat or drink?"

"Uhm, no thanks," he answered and a light went on in his eyes, "I got it! I was coming over here because I missed your birthday, sweetie," he pulled a lock of Emily's bangs, "I'm going to get you and your mom out to dinner."

"We could just order in," Sarah began.

"No way," Toby stood swiftly and pulled Emily to her feet, "I'm going to go all out with this one. I insist on going to the posh-est more expensive restaurant my meager teachers' salary can afford."

"So—Olive Garden?" Emily laughed.

"Pretty much," Toby agreed. He looked down at his polo shirt and khakis, "I'm going to run home and change and I'll be back to pick you ladies up in an hour okay? I imagine it will take that long for you to pick out your clothes anyway. God only knows how long make up and hair'll take."

"Get going Mr. Bigbucks," Sarah swatted at him as they moved from the kitchen to the living room, "You just make sure you're not late."

"I'm the one that's on time," Toby said feigning seriousness, "You were the one who was always late."

"Now don't start harping on my fault," Sarah answered mimicking her past self with hands on hips and chin stuck out, "If we're fair about this you had the worst smelling diapers in the world!"

"Okay, okay I give," Toby laughed. He winked at Emily, "In the face of smelly diaper memories I bow out. I'll you folks in a bit." He waved and vanished outside.

Once he had closed the door behind him, Toby leaned against the frame and heaved a huge sigh. He was trying to process everything he had seen inside his sister's house. He could have sworn that when Emily came into the room she had not been herself. He felt his heart lurch on the edge of a memory once more but it stopped short of full realization. The sensation was so strong it was almost painful. Toby took another deep breath and heaved off the porch and down to his car. There was next to no way to find out what was going on.

As he pulled away from the curb, Toby ran a hand through his thick blond hair and thought of his niece; he had never wondered about her so much since Sarah had announced she was pregnant. Now, as his brain moved into over drive, Toby wondered just who it was that had fathered his niece and why did she suddenly looked so alien and so familiar at the same time.

_**JarethSarahEmilyJarethSarahEmilyJarethSarahEmilyJareth**_

Emily waited until Toby had left the driveway. She turned to Sarah her hands in the back pockets of her jeans; she was smiling.

"He remembers," she said, "He remembers the Labyrinth."

"I don't see why you think that's such a good thing," Sarah answered going to the window and pulling the blind down enough to see his car disappearing around the corner, "Did you see how upset he was?"

"Yeah," Emily flopped ungracefully onto the couch, "But don't you see that this is the beginning of not having to lie about me or hide the truth anymore? You have to admit that it would be a relief to have him know."

"Not really," Sarah answered crossly, "I wished him away remember?"

"The foolish impulsive wish of an immature youth," Emily waved the objection away with a Jareth like gesture, "And nothing bad happened to him."

"He was kidnapped by the King of the Goblins."

"Who you fell in love with," Emily pointed out

"Who I fell out of love with," Sarah answered.

Emily scrunched up her face and shook her head, "Not really."

"Yes, really," Sarah said finally, "And don't feel free to dance around my mind."

"I wasn't, but you did just give yourself away," Emily rolled off the couch and stood, "I have to go, I have a lot to do."

"Aren't you going to be here when your uncle comes back?" Sarah called after her.

Emily smiled slowly, her eyes on the carpet. Her expression was one who heard a strain of music before anyone else had. Lifting her gaze to her mother, Emily smiled, "It might be a while."

"What does that mean?"

Emily hugged her mother quickly, "Just don't wait up for either of us."

"Emily Grace Williams what are you up too?" Sarah challenged.

Emily grinned broadly and waved her arm as she returned to her usual appearance. Sarah blinked always a little shocked as the difference between her daughter's feigned appearance and her real nature.

"Just the business of the Labyrinth if that rings any bells," she said and vanished with a puff of glitter.

_**JarethSarahEmilyJarethSarahEmilyJarethSarahEmilyJareth**_

Toby had driven home and managed to shower, change and drive halfway to Sarah's house before he really allowed himself to think. Images had been flashing through his mind that made little sense. He tried to put them together in some cohesive whole but the gaps were too great, the memories half forgotten and blurred with time. Toby gripped the steering wheel tightly and ran over everything he could remember. There had been creatures ugly little things all around him and music and so much noise that even the memory made his ears hurt. There had been hard surfaces and he couldn't remember sleeping very much. There had been so much confusion.

But he could remember, through the entire ordeal, a man who had taken care of him. Someone strange and surreal who had made such an impression on the toddler that the adult Toby could still remember the sound of his voice and the presence, the overwhelming presence of something—special in him. The only solid emotion he could recall was the feeling safety with the man—the feeling of being needed or wanted, care for and cherished to a degree. He felt as safe in the arms of the stranger as in the arms of his parents.

But all those years, Toby had never been able to remember the face or looks of the stranger; not until Emily had walked into the kitchen that afternoon. The face had come back with startling clarity, like beginning drenched in icy water on a cold January morning. The cut features, the glittering eyes and the mouth twisted into a smile. With it he recalled the hint of darkness and dangerous and being allowed to play with a marvelous toy of crystal. But the images and memories made no sense at all. There was no clear idea behind what was going on in the dreams—he had never dreamed of the man again and certainly he had never expected to see anyone like him.

The ringing of his cell phone distracted him from his thoughts and he grabbed it off the seat beside him.

"Toby Williams," he answered.

"Hi, Uncle Toby," Emily's voice came cheerfully over the other end, "Um, I hope this isn't too big a bother but is there anyway we can postpone our dinner?"

"I guess," Toby said immediately suspicious but over what he wasn't sure, "Did something come up?"

"Well, kinda," she answered and there was a hint of laughter in her voice, "It's rather earth shaking really."

"Nothing bad I hope?" Toby probed, "Everyone is alright aren't they?"

"Everyone's fine," she answered honestly, "But whether or not it's a bad thing is entirely up to those involved and you know how that stuff can be. You want to talk to someone but you're afraid of sounding mean or strange and so you don't say anything and then the whole bloody thing goes to pot."

"Something like that," Toby answered, "Look Em, I was just going to say about earlier—"

"What?" she asked quickly.

"Just—never mind," Toby sighed and steered the car into a parking lot to turn around, "I just hope you didn't think I was being too weird."

"No problem, some times sudden shocks can make us do strange things. You know like a massive wave of déjà vu. You think you've done something before or seen something and you try to put the feelings into words but you come off sounding like a moron?"

"I'm glad you're so understanding about it," Toby said dryly relieved by the sympathy in his niece's voice, "I guess we'll wait til Sunday okay?"

She chuckled, "No trouble at all, a traditional Sunday dinner isn't a bad idea. Very normal and human."

"Human?" he questioned.

"Well, you know," Emily answered unhelpfully, "I'll see you soon and Uncle Toby?"

"Yeah?"

"Be careful."

With that the call ended. Toby flipped his phone shut and stared at it for a moment. What had she meant?

As Toby's eyes drifted back to the road his heart almost stopped in his chest. Several deer were standing in the light of his headlights and they didn't move as he blew his horn. The road was a narrow neighborhood street and the only place to turn off was into a play ground or into a row of houses. In a spilt second decision, Toby gritted his teeth and applied the brakes. The tires squealed in rebellion as he wrestled with the steering wheel. The car shifted and turned into the deer who store around the road as his car swerved dangerously close. The last thing in the way was a heavy streetlight post that came flying toward him unstoppably.

The impact was sharp and quick; glass shattered and sprayed over Toby, but he was unconscious. A cut on his forehead bled into his collar, his eyes closed and mouth slack. Around him the neighborhood was alive with children who cried for help from their parents and parents who were calling 911. But Toby was unaware of this world because he had shifted into the next.

_**JarethSarahEmilyJarethSarahEmilyJarethSarahEmilyJareth**_

Toby stared around himself in shock. He stood in the center of a room made of tan stone. The rock was rough hewn and unadorned. The room was oval with a lower section in the floor built like a shallow pit. On the floor level he stood on there was a single chair, a throne, he realized; empty. He walked around the room taking in the high set windows and the blue sky beyond. A spring wind was chasing around the room and everything was bright and new; the very stone sparkled with life.

Even though he was alone in a strange place, Toby felt a bubble of joy surge through him. It was as if all the questions teeming in his mind had been answered in one instant. It all made sense.

"Welcome back," a voice said.

Toby jumped and whirled on the speaker who stood regally in the doorway. Jareth stood regarding him expressionlessly.

"You're the stranger," it wasn't a question.

"Just so," Jareth answered.

"You're –Emily's your child isn't she?"

"Right again," a hint of amusement found its way into his eyes.

"What did you do to her?"

"Nothing," Jareth answered calmly, "You saw her this afternoon."

"But she's not the same."

Jareth could barely keep the smug expression from his lips, "No. Indeed she is not."

"Where is she now?" Toby asked, "Is she safe?"

"You seem to miss the whole point of this meeting," Jareth shook his head, "This isn't about Emily or Sarah. In fact, it has nothing to do with anything that you're worried about right this moment."

Toby met the dual colored gaze of the Goblin King, "You going to make your point?"

"Certainly," Jareth answered raising a hand holding a crystal. He turned it under the light for several seconds before tossing it into the air. Reflexively Toby held out a hand to catch it.

The crystal swerved crazily in the air between them before it settled lightly into Toby's palm. He looked at it; the marvelous toy. He looked up and Jareth was standing directly before him a challenge in his eyes. The Goblin King was taller than he remembered and he sparked with magic.

"This story is about you and me," he said.

**Reviewer Responses: **

**Yodeladyhoo**She doesn't want to avoid him. She wants Emily to avoid him. She's barely used to the change in her daughter and she wouldn't know how it would effect Toby so…yeah.

**Nette**Thanks for the help, I didn't notice that. You'd think I would be passed those kinds of mishaps.


End file.
